Bethel member arrested for nude photos and other crimes against children*

*Bethel is a term to describe the headquarters for Jehovah's Witnesses

J. Manuel Cano was a member of the Walkill Bethel Family for sixteen years. He was a Bethel Elder until the arrangement was discarded last year and simply remained an elder as were all elders at Bethel. He was a book Study Conductor and assisted in the Kingdom Ministry School in the Newburg Spanish Congregation. He was regarded as a very studious man and spiritual leader that was very active in the door to door work of Jehovah's Witnesses. Cano was arrested by police for passing out nude pictures of himself that were sexually suggestive to minors that included his telephone number. The enclosed news stories provide the details of the case.

Cops: Orange County Minister Tried To Lure Boys

Reporting

(CBS)MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. Police in Middletown are accusing 50-year-old minister Jesus Cano, a Jehovah's Witness, of trying to lure young boys for sex with nude pictures of himself, which he'd printed with his phone number.

According to police, Cano allegedly called an 11-year-old boy over to his car on June 17, handed the boy one of the nude pictures and invited him to meet at another location for sex.

One week later, he allegedly attempted to lure another boy, but this time the victim's parents called the police.

Police said they found beer and condoms inside Cano's blue Nissan.

Investigators also said they found pictures of an unidentified teenager in sexual positions and videotape Cano allegedly shot at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, where he followed boys and men into the bathroom with a hidden camera, allegedly taping them as they used the urinals.

When Cano was arrested he had his minister's identification with him and his church has confirmed his position.

Cano's alleged sex crimes may also extend all the way to the Caribbean, police said.

Police: Man May Have Preyed On Boys At O'HareCBS2 Chicago, IL - 22 minutes agoPolice in Middletown, New York, say 50-year-old Jesus Cano, a minister with the Jehovah's Witnesses, allegedly used his own video camera to take images of ...

Police: Man May Have Preyed On Boys At O'Hare

Minister Allegedly Took Nude Pictures Of Himself, Distributed Them With His Phone Number

Reporting

(WCBS/CBS 2 News) A New York minister is accused of trying to lure young boys for sex. CBS 2's Suzanne LeMignot reports police say the man may have attempted to prey on victims right here at Chicago's O'Hare Airport.

Police in Middletown, New York, say 50-year-old Jesus Cano, a minister with the Jehovah's Witnesses, allegedly used his own video camera to take images of himself in the nude and then print them with his phone number in hopes of luring young boys for sex. Cano is a minister with the Jehova's Witnesses.

Police say the first alleged incident took place on June 17 when Cano allegedly called an 11-year-old victim to his car to give him a naked picture of himself. Police say Cano then asked the child to meet him at another location for sex.

One week later, another alleged incident took place, but the victim's parents called police.

Police say they found beer, condoms and an ointment of some sort inside Cano's blue Nissan. Inside, they also found an alleged trial of perversion stretching from Chicago all the way to the Caribbean.

Police say photos of an unidentified teen in sexual positions were discovered, along with videotape that police say Cano shot at O'Hare Airport as he followed boys and men into the bathroom with a hidden camera to tape them as they used urinals. Cano allegedly targeted six or seven bathrooms for six or seven hours at a time.

"The detective bureau has made contact with customs and immigration. They've also made arrangements to contact some of the other agencies in this area. And after viewing the videotape, we'll be checking into the possibility that some crimes have been committed in Illinois," said Middletown Police Lt. Paul Rickard.

When arrested, police found a church identification card on Cano. The church confirms his position as a minister, but had no further comment.

Middletown police are in contact with Chicago police. Police say they were not aware of the report, but once they have the information an investigation will be conducted.

Right now, Cano is only charged in New York with attempting to promote an obscene gesture on a child.

Man allegedly solicited sex from boysTimes Herald-Record, NY - 2 hours ago... the 1970s, police said. He lives at the Jehovah's Witness community in the Hamlet of Wallkill in Ulster County. Another 15-year-old ...

Middletown - The beers were still cold when Jesus Cano was arrested Saturday night.

He bought two 24-ounce Budweisers before he went to meet someone he thought was a 15-year-old boy, police said. He parked next to Thrall Park and waited.

He also had a camera, because, according to police, he said on the phone he wanted to take pictures. And, police said, in the front seat of his blue Nissan Altima was a jar of petroleum jelly and condoms.

The "boy" he was waiting for was a cop.

The way city police describe it, 50-year-old Jesus Cano was looking to have sex with boys Saturday night. He drove around Middletown early that evening handing out what are essentially calling cards soliciting sex, police said.

"I am sure that a guy like you have a good number of girlfriends," starts the note police say he gave to gave out to teenage boys. It continues in awkward English: "If you Gould like to tried something different and brake the routine, please give me a call and let me know how I can reward you for your service. Please call me."

A phone number and e-mail address were stapled to the note, along with pictures of young men's naked buttocks, making a multi-page packet.

According to police, Cano gave such a packet to a 15-year-old boy near Prince and Montgomery streets. The boy's parents called police. Detective Tom Miller quickly called the number and set up a meeting with Cano.

"He was more than eager" to meet, Miller said.

Cano is charged with attempting to promote an obscene sexual performance by a child, a felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. He was sent to Orange County Jail on $15,000 bail.

Police believe this is Cano's first sexual offense charge. A Mexican national, Cano has been in the United States "off and on" since the 1970s, police said. He lives at the Jehovah's Witness community in the Hamlet of Wallkill in Ulster County.

Another 15-year-old boy reported a similar encounter a week before Cano was arrested, on June 17.

Middletown police believe Cano might have propositioned boys throughout the area and ask anyone with information to call 343-3151. All calls are confidential.

Man Allegedly Videotaped Boys In Airport Bathrooms

Jehovah's Witness Minister In Custody In New York

(CBS)CHICAGO Police busted a New York minister after he allegedly took a hidden camera to O'Hare International Airport and videotaped young boys and men in the bathrooms.

CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports on the disturbing allegations that landed him in police custody.

Police in Middletown, NY, say 50-year-old Jesus Manuel Cano used a hidden camera to tape young boys and men while they were using the urinals at O'Hare Airport. Cano allegedly targeted six or seven bathrooms for six or seven hours at a time.

Evidence found in his car in Middletown, NY included a video camera with a disturbing tape that was shot at O'Hare Airport.

"After viewing the videotape, we'll be checking into the possibility that some crimes have been committed in Illinois," said Middletown Police Lt. Paul Rickard.

Cano came to the Middletown Police Department's attention because of a photo of his naked rear end. Police say he was passing out copies of naked photographs of himself to young boys to lure them for sexual encounters.

Police say the first alleged incident took place on June 17 when Cano allegedly called an 11-year-old victim to his car to give him a naked picture of himself. Police say Cano then asked the child to meet him at another location for sex.

One week later, another boy in New York received the photograph. He told his parents, who called police.

"This past Saturday, I was able to make contact with Mr. Cano, passing myself off as a 15-year-old boy," said Det. Thomas Miller. "And I subsequently arranged a meeting with him in Middletown and he did arrive for the meeting."

When police arrested Cano, he had a church identification card with him. It shows he's a Jehovah's Witness minister from northern New York. The church confirms his position as a minister, but had no further comment.

Police searched his blue Nissan. Inside they found photos of young boys, some kind of ointment, beer, condoms and the O'Hare Airport videotape.

Middletown police have also contacted customs and immigration officials. Photos of one boy from the Caribbean were also discovered in Cano's car.

(CBS)MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. There are new disturbing details emerging about the minister, who is accused of using shocking photos to lure children.
He is a 50-year-old minister with the Jehovah's Witnesses, but today Jesus Cano stands charged with trying to lure two boys to a remote area of Middletown for sex.
When Cano was arrested, police said they found photos and videotapes in his car, which prompted investigators to search his home late last night.
Now they believe there may be dozens of victims, and not just in New York.
The new evidence includes several computer systems memory sticks containing hundreds of pictures, along with DVDs including one labeled "Chicago O'Hare Airport."
Each computer and hard drive will be examined in a forensics lab, authorities said.
As CBS 2 first reported, police also located a videotape allegedly shot by Cano at O'Hare Airport, as he followed boys and men into the bathroom with a hidden camera and taped them as they used the urinal.
Cano is charged with attempting to promote an obscene sexual performance by a child, which is a felony, and endangering the welfare of a child.
New charges could come as early as today.

Boy In Minister Sex Scandal Speaks To CBS 2

Investigators Compiling Mountain Of Evidence Against Suspect

(CBS)MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. On Tuesday there were new developments in the case of Jesus Cano, the Jehovah's Witness minister facing sex charges for allegedly trying to lure two boys into his car to take them to a remote area of Middletown for sex.

Police found new evidence in Cano's home, which they searched last night, following his arrest.

In Cano's home police seized several computer systems, memory sticks containing hundreds of pictures, and numerous DVDs. All will be reviewed by experts.

Investigators also located a graphic videotape which they said was shot by Cano at Chicago's O'Hare Airport as he followed boys and men into the bathroom with a hidden camera, taping them as they used the urinals.

Police also said they now believe Cano allegedly took pornographic photos of children while traveling throughout the United States and South America with the Jehovah's Witnesses.

One of the two boys Cano allegedly propositioned spoke exclusively with CBS 2. The victim, age 15, said Cano handed him a naked photo of himself along with his phone number and allegedly said, "Call me at this number."

The teen's family called police and Cano was arrested 20 minutes later.

Police in Chicago have requested a copy of the bathroom video and will attempt to locate any possible victims who were surreptitiously taped.

CHICAGO (WBBM News radio 780/CBS 2) -- There are new developments in the case of an accused pedophile from upstate New York: a man who New York authorities believe shot videotapes inside rest rooms at O'Hare.

WBBM News radio 780's Steve Miller reports the man accused is Jesus Manuel Cano and is 50 years old. A Jehovah's Witness minister, say police in Middletown, New York.

Cops: Man taped kids in restrooms

Chicago Police will be viewing a videotape seized from a New York man who allegedly used a waist-high camera to take pictures of men and boys while they used urinals at O'Hare Airport.

Police in Middleton, N.Y., about 60 miles from New York City, seized the tape this week from Jesus M. Cano, 50. Cano, who has family ties to the Chicago area and is an elder with Jehovah's Witnesses, was arrested after he allegedly solicited at least two minors in Middleton by handing out semi-nude pictures of himself, police said.

Middleton Detective Sgt. Jerry Mishk said the tape includes the following announcement in the background: "Welcome to Chicago O'Hare Airport.''

"We're seeing him go in with a hidden video camera and he is taking videos of men or males -- they could be boys, too -- urinating in the urinals,'' Mishk said. "He walks around from bathroom to bathroom.''

Had been a minister

It is not clear when the videos were made, Mishk said. There is about 30 minutes worth of footage on the tape, he said.

Mishk said he was not aware of any other sex-related arrests for Cano.

Chicago Police officials said Tuesday they were awaiting copies of the video and could not confirm whether the footage is taken at O'Hare.

"We're waiting to review evidence at this point,'' said Monique Bond, department spokeswoman.

Bond said department officials are not aware of any reports of suspicious activity inside an O'Hare bathroom.

Cano was living in Wallkill, N.Y. -- about 20 miles from Middleton -- and working at the Jehovah's Witnesses printing plant there, said J.W. Brown, a national spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses. But Cano was severed from the organization on Monday, Brown said.

"As of today he has been removed from his eldership and has been removed as a member of this family,'' Brown said Monday.

Cano has been in the Wallkill area 16 years, Brown said. He was a minister with the church, but also an "elder,'' a status that is attained after many years of study. He was serving a congregation in Newburg, N.Y.

The allegations against Cano shocked those who knew him, Brown said.

"We are as shocked and amazed as we can possibly be,'' he said. "All our reports show he was good, he was serving faithfully. We did not have anything to indicate there was any moral flaw.''

Mishk said Cano was caught after the department received two complaints that he was handing out pictures of himself to minors and telling them "if they're interested, he'd be willing to show them a good time.''

Held on $10,000 cash bond

A Middleton detective posed as a 15-year-old male and arranged a meeting, which led to the seizure of the videotape. A second search warrant was served on his residence and investigators seized four computers and hundreds of computer discs, tapes and photos, Mishk said.

Cano, who has already been charged with attempted promotion of an obscene sexual performance by a child, was being held on a $10,000 cash bond, Mishk said. Further charges are pending.